Proposed Settlement Announced in Right-to-Repair Litigation Against John Deere

Deere tractor in field with plow image by Sergey Fedoskin from Adobe Stock Photos

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Introduction

As farm equipment has become more sophisticated, the opportunity for operators and independent mechanics to work on that equipment has become increasingly difficult.  Many of the major equipment manufacturers limit operators to working only with their authorized dealers for repairs.  This can often increase costs to operators and wait times for repairs during critical times of the year.  Independent mechanics and operators have pushed for years for the right to repair this equipment without going through these authorized dealers.

Recently, a proposed settlement was filed with a federal court to resolve a multidistrict lawsuit brought by independent mechanics and farm operators against John Deere for antitrust violations arising from its practice of limiting repair services to authorized dealers.  If approved by the court, the settlement would allow repair of John Deere equipment beyond authorized dealers.  The motion to approve the settlement was filed in In Re: Deere & Co. Repair Services Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 3030).

Background

This lawsuit originated in 2022, when the federal courts consolidated a number of lawsuits brought against John Deere, alleging that Deere had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by monopolizing the right-to-repair for farm equipment by allowing it only through authorized dealers.  The claims are that Deere restricted access to diagnostic software that would have allowed independent mechanics and operators the ability to handle repairs.  These cases were consolidated into one multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Illinois, creating a class action lawsuit.  This lawsuit has survived multiple attempts by John Deere to have it dismissed.

This case was strengthened when the Federal Trade Commission, the Minnesota Attorney General, and the Illinois Attorney General filed an antitrust lawsuit against Deere.  This lawsuit also claimed that Deere violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by limiting farmers and independent mechanics access to diagnostic software.  This case was filed in the Northern District of Illinois in early 2025.

In the class action lawsuit, the plaintiffs and Deere entered into mediation to attempt to settle the lawsuit.  The proposed settlement announced on April 6, 2026 is the product of those negotiations through the mediation process.

Terms of the Proposed Settlement

The proposed settlement announced on April 6, 2026, provides a number of key things that potential class members should be aware of.  The first key term in the proposed settlement is that it will provide injunctive relief preventing Deere from limiting access to diagnostic software.  If accepted by the court, this will allow operators and independent mechanics access to software that enables repairs beyond authorized Deere dealers.  At the same time, Deere will have to make reasonable and fair efforts to provide access to future diagnostic software.  This future access would have been made available to operators and independent mechanics as soon as 50 percent of Deere’s authorized dealers have access to the software.  Access to Deere’s Operations Center PRO Service to perform offline diagnostics will need to be made available by the end of 2026. Deere will also have to provide access to its Dealer Technical Assistance Center (“DTAC”) Solutions by the end of 2026. Allow the same group to report potential design and manufacturing defects to Deere.  This injunction will remain in place for 10 years to allow the plaintiffs and the court to enforce the terms of the injunction.

Deere will also provide $99 million into a qualified settlement fund for benefit of the class members.  This fund will be used to compensate members of the class who sought repairs from John Deere due to its practices since 2018.  The details on how these funds will be distributed to class members has not been announced at this time.  At the same time, as with class action litigation, members of the class will have the opportunity to opt out of the settlement and bring their own claims against John Deere.

What Does This Mean?

It's important to note that this is currently just a proposed settlement.  The federal district court will still need to accept the settlement terms.  We should know if the terms of the settlement will be accepted by early summer.  This proposed settlement is a significant win for those who have been advocating for the right to repair for some time.  This proposed settlement will give farmers who buy or lease John Deere equipment the ability to either repair it themselves or seek an independent mechanic to repair it.  This change will significantly reduce wait times when key equipment breaks down during critical times of the year.  

As details of the proposed settlement fund are announced, it will be easier for potential class members to understand whether they qualify for compensation.  Until then, we will continue to need to monitor this situation. 

Reference

Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Preliminary Approval of Settlement with Defendant Deere & Co., Certification of the Proposed Settlement Class, and Related Relief, In re Deere & Co. Repair Services Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 3030, No. 3:22-cv-50188 (N.D. Ill. Apr. 6, 2026).